Large mining trucks, off-road haul trucks or dump trucks may have one or more ladders for accessing the cabin. A variety of such trucks are manufactured by companies such as Euclid-Hitachi, Komatsu, Liebherr, Caterpillar, Bucyrus, etc. The operator of these types of trucks usually climbs up the ladder and then manoeuvres onto a small catwalk or platform before entering the cabin. Accidents have occurred when the operator slips and falls from the ladder. One solution to this problem is to retrofit the truck with a ladder system. For example, the Access System Upgrade for the Cat® 785 and 789 trucks is a diagonal stairway retrofit kit for the Caterpillar® 785 and 789 series trucks. This retrofit kit includes a stairway with handrails, bumper extension, walkway and secondary egress ladder.
However, there remains a need in the industry for a handrail retrofit system that is simpler, lighter, quicker to install and more cost-effective than prior-art designs.